Regulating device for spotlights



C F. L., C. H., AND W. L. KAUFMANN.

REGULATING DEVICE FOR SPOTLIGHTS. [APPLICATION FILED APB-13.1921.

1,438,380; Patented Dec. 12,1922.

Dec. 112, i922.

Patented T??? i T a ds ii t i CHARLES E. L..K.A.UFMAN1 I,

GlaBL'H. KAUEl llANN, WALLER L. -KAUFMA1 TN,'OF

; SANTA ANA, CALIFQRNIA.

BEGULATING nluvrcn iron 'srornrenrs.

Application filedr'ipril 13, 1921. Seria1.1\To. 4G1,042.

To all whom it maycoacem.

Be it known that we, CHAnnns F.'L.'=KAU1 MANN, CARL H. KAUFMANN, and f, nLLnr. L. KAUFMANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Santa Ana, in the county of Orange and State of California, h'aveinvented a new and useful Regulating Device for Spotlights, of which the iollo'wing'is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle lamps and is particularly directed to that type of lamps known as spotlights, the object of the invention being to provide an improved construction of adjustable mounting by which the upward tilt Off/he lamp is limited when pointed directly ahead.

Another object is to provide a structure which will permit the lamp to be swung sidewise and tilted upwardly in a predetermined path, the progressive upward tilting coincidingin fixed relative ratio with the sidewise swing of the lamp producing a compound vertical and lateral circular adjustment of thelamp.

A further object is to provide means for varying the initial straight ahead adjustment of the lamp, and to provide an independent means for locking the adjustable means.

Various other objects andadvantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lamp in straight ahead position.

2 is a front elevation showing the lamp swung sidewise and tilted upwardly.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan section on line av -m of Fig. 1.

in a number of the States laws have been passed regulating the use of spotlights and these laws require that the spotlight be so constructed that when in position to project its rays directly forward it cannot be tilted or moved vertically upward to such an extent that its rays will blind or confuse operators oi vehicles or pedestrians facing the lamp. The present improved spotlight is designed to comply with the law as to the straight ahead position of the lamp, but is also arranged so that should it be desired the lamp may be swung laterally and upwardly to illuminate road signs and for other purposes.

In the present invention the device is so arranged that in swinging the lampsidew se it is tilted upwardly in a predetermlnedpath with the upward tilting move- -1nent,bei1 1g.in fixed ratio to the sidewise swmgproducing a compound vertical and lateral adjustment of the lamp from or to the straight ahead position. y

In the drawings, 1 designates the upright standard of a vehicle windshield and designates a spotlight bracket detachably securedthereto. 'S'aidb r'acket has an arm 3 provided at its free end with a horizontal stud 4i and a shoulder 5 at the basejof the stud. EA lamp supporting memberfi is pivoted on: the stud liorvertical adjustment and -is'ho'rizontally split outwardly from the studto provide opposed limbs which; are drawn togetherby a screw 7 to grip the stud sufficiently to frictionally maintain the member 6 in adjustedposition against the vibration oi the vehicle. This member'6 is, however, su'iiiciently loose on the stud l to permit a manual adjustment thereoi'but when desired, it may be rigidly clamped inadjusted position by. the screw 7. A nut Swhich engages the threaded end of the stud 4: maintains the member 6 on. the stud i.

The member 6 has a vertical bore 9 p0- sitioned outwardly from the stud i and adapted to receive the postlOof the lamp 11/ The free end of the member 6 is vertically split outwardly from the bore 9 and the'opposed limbs so formed are drawn together by a screw 12 to frictionally clamp the post to maintain the lamp in adjusted position against the vibration of the vehicle. The post 9 of the lamp is fixed to turn with the lamp and is slightly angled relative to the transverse plane of the lamp.

In use, with the lamp pointed straight ahead, the member 6 is vertically adjusted so that the lamp projects its rays to strike the road at the proper distance ahead of the vehicle, and this adjustment will by reason of the angularly disposed lamp post 10, cause the member 6 to be angularly disposed relative to the horizontal. With the lamp in such position (see Fig. 1) any sidewise swing of the lamp will cause the lamp to tilt upwards in a fixed ratio so that the degree of tilt will increase in direct propoi tion to the degree of such. sidewise swing, (see Fig. 2), such proportion being dependent upon the degree of the angle of the post 10 relative to the transverse plane of the lamp.

In its preferred form the post 10 is so angled relative to the lamp that when the lamp is swung sidewise it Will be tilted upwardly to the proper angle to project'the light to the height of the standard road signs and by reason of this the lamp can be turned to illuminate such signs without disturbing the initial adjustments and can then be positively returned to proper straight ahead position. The specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, while well adapted for the purposes primarily stated, is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing'ffrom the broad scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a supporting bracket, and a lamp having a supporting post disposed in a vertical plane intersecting the axis of the lamp and angled 'rearwardly elative to the transverse plane of the lamp, said post beingjournaled in the bracket, whereby the lamp will tilt upwardly when swung laterally in either direction from a normal straight ahead pos.

sition.

2. In a device of the class described, a

bracket, a lamp supporting member pivoted on the bracket to swing vertically, a lamp having a post disposed in a vertical plane intersecting the axis of thelamp and angled relative to the transverse plane of the lamp and vertically journaled in said member.

3. In a device of the class described, a bracket having a horizontal stud, a lamp supporting member journaled on said stud and having an aperture disposed in a plane at right angles to said-stud, a lamp having a post disposed in a vertical plane intersecting the axis of the lamp and angled rela- 1 ,essnso tive to the transverse plane of the lamp and engaging in said aperture, means for frio tionally clamping the member on the stud, and means for frictlonally clamping the post. p I I I. In a device of the class described, a bracket, a lamp, and an intermediate angled lamp supporting with the longitudinal axis of the lamp and permitting a swinging oi the lamp to the bracket, the angled disposition of said post compelling a compound lateral swing and upward tilting of the lamp when the lamp is swung in either direction from a normal straight ahead position.

5. In a device of the class described, a bracket having a lateral stud, a lamp supporting member having a horizontal aperture through which said stud engages and a vertical aperture, a lamp having a post disposed-in a vertical plane intersecting the axis of the lamp and angled relative to the transverse plane of the lamp and engaging in the vertical aperture of the lamp sup porting member, said member being hori- Zontally split outwardly'from the horizontal post vertically aligned relative I aperture and vertically split outwardly from i the vertical aperture forming opposed limbs at opposite ends of said member, means drawing the one pair of limbs together to clamp the member on the stud, means drawing the other pair of limbs together to clamp the lamp post onsaid member.

6. In the construction defined inv claim 5, the bracket having a shoulder at the base of the stud, and independent means, maintaining the lamp supporting member against said shoulder.

Signed at Santa Ana, California, this eth day of April, 1921.

CHARLES F. L. KAUFMANN. CARL H. KAUFMANN. WALIJER I1. KAUFMANN.

/Vitnesses I AoNns OWENS, CHRISTINA BENNETT. 

